Local Poppy Appeal wins award

THE Henley and Peppard branch of the Royal British Legion has won a trophy for raising more than £30,000 during last years Poppy Appeal.

The Goadby Cup, which is for the highest percentage increase in poppy sales over the previous year, was presented at the Legions Oxfordshire county conference in Kidlington.

Branch chairman John Green collected the trophy from county patron Air Chief Marshal Sir John Allison.

The branch raised about £10,000 more than in 2012 during Novembers appeal. It last won the award in 2011 after raising £20,000. Mr Green said: This award is a result of [appeal organiser] Shirley Lees efforts and the generosity of the people of Henley and the surrounding district.

At the conference, branch member Brian Hughes was appointed county standard bearer for the 10th successive year.

Mr Hughes, 81, of Harpsden Road, Henley, served in the Royal Army Service Corps in Egypt in the Fifties.

He first applied to become a standard bearer in 1999 after seeing an advert in the Henley Standard and has served for the Henley and Peppard branch since then. Mr Hughes said: The competition was quite poor this year. I was up against one other person but in previous years there have been five or six. Ive got at least two processions coming up this year but there may be more if people request it for private funerals and the like.

Mr Hughes, who also carries the standard of the Henley Dunkirk Veterans, has no plans to hang up his flags just yet.

He said: Its a competition so if someone wants to come along and knock me off their perch its up to them. Until then Im happy to keep going as county standard bearer.